Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1887-04-18

various Questions Answered BY I'M
Interstate Communication.

Tne interstate Commission have to-day under
taken TO answer numerous questions as to the In
terpretat1On OF the law submitted by the order OF
Railroad Conductors Travellers Union and other
organizations. The questions relate to the tSSu-
ance OF Tree passes to the families of railroad en-
pioyes; to the granting of reduction OF rates TO
omcers and members OF associations composed OF
railway employees; to the method OF granting
passes by one railroad to officers and employees OF
other ROADS, &c the questions relate to the pass
age free OF railroad officials and employees while
engaged upon business not directly connected
Win the roads by which they are employed.
NO JURISDICTION.
Inc commission say that "a careful reading OF
the Act to regulate commerce. under which this
commission Is organized, win show to the petit
TONERS, and others who have made similar appli-
catlon, That no Jurisdiction has been given us TO
answer questions like those under consideration.
an thil o, our opinion upon these SUBJECTS
power conferred by the statute would carry with
1t no judicial efficacy or sanction; in fact, would
the opinion OF other men upon the same points.
TWO sections OF the law confer power upon the
Commission to entertain and decide applications
and petitions"
TO CORRECT ALLEGED ABUsRs
The commission then cite section 4, authorizing
them to suspend the long and short haul clause,
and section ID, authorizing them to hear COM
plants. The Commission sums up the matter by
citing the fact that the petitions presented do not
contain any charges or complaints; do not affirm
any violations Of the law, but, on the contrary,
declare that the railroads want to comply with
the law. The Commission holds that it is not
created 70 dictate us to the management OF rail-
roads, but to correct alleged abuses, and that,
therefore, the questions presented do not come
under their jurisdiction.
THE MANAGEMENT OF THE RAILROADS.
They say: congress has not taken the man
agement of the railroads out Of the hands OF the
railroad companies. 1t has simply established
certain general principals under which interstate
commerce must be conducted 1t has enacted, in
section one, that all charges for Interstate trans
pOrtat1on shall be reasonable and Just;' has pro-
Mblted, IN section two, all manner OF unjust dis,
elimination; has forbidden, in section three, all
undue and unreasonable preferences and advan-
tages; has required IN the same section reason
able and equal facilities for the Interchange Of
traffic. and has prohibited in section five the pool
Ing OF heights. That, in substance, is the inter
these provisions. They simply bring back the
business OF the common carriers to the Wellsettled
principles OF the common law. Yet no one can
deny That there Was urgent need OF their
formulation. Alleged difficulties in putting them
In operation only disclose examples OF the extent
TO which they have been violated In the past"
sUsPEND1NG THE LONG AND sHoBT HAUL CLAUSE.
Saturday afternoon, the Interstate Commission
amended their recent order suspending the long
and short haul clause OF the Interstate law, so
to include the following railroads.: The Illinois
Central, the st. Louis and Cairo Short Line, the
Tennessee and Ohio, the Norfolk and Western, the
York, Philadelphia and Norfolk the Cape Fear and
Yadktn Valley, the Louisville and New Orleans and
Texas, and the Newport News and Mississippi VAL
ley roads,